


It's Always Been You

by chucknovak



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst to Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Pining, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, they're in love i love them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-22 21:09:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15590769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chucknovak/pseuds/chucknovak
Summary: At midnight on their 18th birthday, every person develops a mark somewhere on their body identical to that of their soulmate. Richie Tozier thinks the whole soulmate business is bullshit; there's only one person he wants his soulmate to be, and what if it's not him?





	It's Always Been You

“Don’t you think the whole soulmates thing is kinda fucked up?”

Eddie looked at Richie from where he sat next to him. He looked surprised. “No, not really. How is it fucked up?”

Richie rolled his eyes. No one ever got it. “Forget it. You’re right, it’s super cute.”

“Don’t be an asshole,” Eddie huffed. “What are you talking about? Is that why you’ve been so quiet all night?” Richie sighed; he knew he’d been quiet, and he figured it wasn’t hard for Eddie to notice. They were sitting on Richie’s bed, both pretending they weren’t counting down the minutes to Richie’s eighteenth birthday. As soon as the clock struck midnight, a soulmate mark would appear somewhere on his body, identical to and in the same place as the mark on his soulmate. Eddie, Bev, Stan, and Mike had already gotten theirs, so Richie knew about was to expect – they looked like tattoos, and apparently it stung a little when it first appeared, then it felt nice, then you stopped feeling it unless your soulmate was touching it. Stan and Mike had matching marks of a beautifully detailed songbird on a branch on their biceps, Bev had a small flame on the inside of her wrist, and Eddie had a minimalist rocket ship surrounded by three little minimalist planets on the left side of his chest. They were all great marks, but Richie liked Eddie’s the best. Richie liked almost everything about Eddie the best, and that was part of the problem; because, just like he knew Ben was anxiously awaiting the appearance of a flame on the inside of his wrist, Richie had been fantasizing about looking in the mirror and finding a little rocket ship surrounded by three little planets on his left pec for three months and twelve days. The thought made him sick to his stomach, as he knew that mark wasn’t ever going to appear on his skin. In a couple of minutes, Richie would feel his skin tingle on his wrist, or his back, or maybe his ankle, and he’d forever be branded with a mark telling him that everything he’d been feeling for Eddie for the past four years was wrong, a waste of time and energy and emotion. A waste of love.

“I just hate the idea that I don’t get to fucking choose who my soul is linked to or whatever,” Richie mumbled, already feeling a weight like a chain around his neck. “Don’t you wanna have a say in who you spend the rest of your life with?”

“Rich, not to talk to you like you’re advocating for the West Boro Baptist Church or anything, but love isn’t a choice,” Eddie smiled gently. He touched Richie’s hand, making Richie’s skin burn hotter than any soulmate mark ever would.

 _Why can we fall in love with people that aren’t our soulmate?_ Richie wanted to say. _Seems pretty fucking cruel_. Instead he said, “So, what, I meet someone else with a fucking Pac-Man tattoo or some shit and I just care about them immediately? I just know they’re the one? That’s such fucking bullshit.” Eddie frowned at him.

“I mean, I’m sure it takes time, but yeah, I think you just know.” Richie stomach turned again; how would he _know_? Would he see his soulmate and immediately drop all thoughts of holding and kissing Eddie? Would four years of feelings melt away? Richie didn’t want to let go of those thoughts, didn’t want to lose the way he felt around Eddie, even if those feelings sometimes made him feel the way he felt just then. His jaw clenched at the thought of Eddie bumping into some guy at a coffee shop in college with a small planet poking out from the collar of his shirt. Eddie’s hand moved to Richie’s shoulder, making him jump. “You’ll feel better about it when you meet them,” Eddie said, his voice as soft and reassuring and caring as ever. Richie knew he was right, but that didn’t make it sit right with him. Looking into Eddie’s eyes, all of Richie’s anxieties began to rise to his lips.

“I’m scared,” he whispered, admitting it for the first time. Eddie looked at him with so much love it nearly brought him to tears. He didn’t want to look into anyone else’s eyes the way he was looking into Eddie’s right then. “How fucking long will I have to wait? What if I’m looking down when I’m supposed to meet them or something? What if I fuck it up and they leave and I’m alone forever?” He managed to keep the _what if it’s not you_ back, but just barely – his worries fell from his lips without his permission. Eddie pulled him into a hug then.

“I know it’s scary, but you’ll be okay. I’m here, I’m not gonna leave you.” It was the best and worst thing he could’ve possibly said. Richie nodded silently. Eddie pulled back then and checked the timer on his phone. “Twenty-three seconds,” he said, his voice full of excitement and nerves. Richie thought he might vomit.

“I don’t want it,” Richie blurted, tears welling in his eyes. Eddie grabbed his hand, rubbing circles into his skin with his thumb. Richie held on tightly, wishing he never had to let go.

“We don’t have to think about it,” Eddie said. “You’re in a sweatshirt and jeans, so I probably won’t even see it. You don’t have to show me, you don’t have to show anybody. We can just put a movie on and ignore it if that’s what you really want.” He was so understanding, so gentle with Richie. Richie bit his lip, tempted by the thought. But even as the tears fell down his cheeks, he shook his head.

“It’s okay,” he rasped. His eyes fell to the countdown on Eddie’s phone. Six seconds. He looked into Eddie’s eyes, let his eyes roam over his encouraging smile, the light dusting of freckles over his nose. Would he stop loving him the second his mark appeared? He held Eddie’s hand impossibly tighter, savoring everything he was feeling in that moment, the good and the bad.

Then he felt it. His eyes widened as it happened, his heart racing in his chest, under tingling skin. “Do you feel it?” Eddie smiled tentatively, his eyes both excited and concerned. Richie jumped up from his bed then, racing to the bathroom connected to his bedroom and silently thanking his parents for the millionth time for the on-suite. He didn’t mean to slam the door, but his heart was racing and his mind was swimming and he couldn’t help it. He locked the door hastily before whirling around to face the mirror.

 _Don’t get your hopes up_ , Richie told himself, trying to steady his breathing. _Just because it’s in the same spot doesn’t mean it’s the same mark_. Richie’s fingers gripped the collar of his t-shirt, but they didn’t pull. He felt frozen. He wasn’t ready. Tears of frustration slid down his cheeks. He didn’t really know how he would react if there wasn’t a rocket ship on his chest. He didn’t know how he’d react if there _was_.

It took three minutes and twenty-eight seconds of pacing around his tiny bathroom, knuckles white as they gripped his collar to finally face the mirror again. Taking a deep breath, Richie slowly inched his shirt down.

His heart stopped. That was definitely a planet.

He let his sweatshirt slide off his shoulders and nearly tore his shirt in his rush to take it off. He stared in disbelief at the cutest little rocket ship he had ever seen. More tears came as he traced the three little planets with his finger, his jaw slack and a smile playing at his lips. But his elation soon faded into fear. How the fuck was he gonna tell Eddie? _Should_ he tell Eddie? He had to. _Shit. shitshitshitshitshitshitshit FUCK,_ Richie’s mind rambled. What if Eddie was disappointed? What if he was mad? The sobs were back now, sobs of unbelievable joy and pain.

“Richie?” Eddie called softly from the other side of the door. “Are you okay?” Richie couldn’t bring himself to say anything. He wiped the tears from his cheeks and worked on steadying his breathing. He put his shirt back on, leaving the sweatshirt on the floor. He knew he had to tell him, no matter what the response. _He’s my soulmate_ , Richie reasoned with himself. _This has to be okay_.

Steeling himself, Richie opened the door. Eddie was waiting against the doorframe with expectant eyes. Richie’s breath hitched; he was a lot closer than Richie had anticipated. Richie started crying again at the sight, and this time he didn’t even know what emotion was causing it. It was just a lot all at once. “Do you wanna talk about it?” Eddie asked softly. “We don’t have to. I can go downstairs and get some snacks from your pantry and we can just-”

“Don’t hate me,” Richie sobbed. Eddie furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, the worry clear as day on his face, in his eyes.

“Rich, as annoying as you are,” Eddie grinned, “you know I’d never hate you. Why would you say that?” Richie gripped the collar of his shirt with a shaking hand. Eddie’s eyes widened. Realization dawned on his face. Richie looked to the corner of his room where the wall met the ceiling as he tugged his shirt down, revealing the mark. Eddie gasped. Richie screwed his eyes shut, willing the new tears not to fall. He gasped as well when his chest began to burn again, his eyes flying open. Eddie was trailing his finger lightly over the mark, just as Richie had done, wonder in his eyes. His touch felt better than anything Richie could remember, it felt better than an orgasm. It was like a soul orgasm from the love of his life. “Richie,” Eddie breathed dreamily, his eyes meeting Richie’s. A smile broke across his face right before he threw his arms around Richie’s neck, pulling him in tightly. Richie let out one last sob, one of relief, as he wrapped his arms around Eddie’s waist. He held him tight, as though he would float away if he didn’t.

Eddie was the first to pull away, and his eyes roamed over Richie’s face as they both smiled at each other, giddy as hell. “Can,” Richie started, his voice croaking from tears, “Can I kiss you?” Eddie beamed.

“You fucking better,” he answered, rising to his tip toes. Richie leaned down, pausing for a moment to drink everything in before bringing his lips to Eddie’s.

It was so much better than Richie could have ever imagined. His lips were salty with tears, and he had to sniffle a couple times, but it was completely perfect. Richie never wanted to pull away, but eventually they needed air. Eddie fell back on his heels, beaming up at Richie. “It’s you,” he said, like he still didn’t believe it. “I’m so happy it’s you. I wanted it to be you so fucking bad.” Richie’s heart soared; he never imagined Eddie might like him back, never let himself think that Eddie might have feelings for him too. After all, what did feelings mean in a world of soulmates?

“It’s always been you,” Richie grinned, his hands cupping Eddie’s face. “I’ve never wanted anyone but you.” And then Richie thought that maybe feelings meant everything.

Eddie smirked at Richie, one eyebrow raised. “So would you say I’m the one?” he teased.

“God, are you really turning this into an I-told-you-so moment?” Richie griped, but he couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.

“Well I did tell you!” Eddie said.

“Yeah, yeah, all right,” Richie grumbled playfully, throwing Eddie over his shoulder and carrying him back to the bed. Eddie screeched, pounding his fists against Richie’s back and demanding to be put down. Richie dropped him on his back on the bed and climbed on top of him. “I should’ve listened to you.” He kissed Eddie’s cheek. “You’re always right.” He kissed Eddie’s other cheek. “I’ll never doubt you again.” He kissed Eddie’s forehead. “Is that what you wanna hear, angel?” Richie nuzzled his nose against Eddie’s unable to wipe the grin off his face. Eddie tried to frown, but his smile broke through.

“It’s a start,” he said. “Now get down here and kiss me some more.”

“Whatever you say, Spaghetti-o,” Richie grinned, kissing away whatever come back was on Eddie’s lips. It was light and cute at first, then melted into something deeper. Richie didn’t even know how to describe it; it wasn’t sexual… it was something more. He slid his hand up Eddie’s shirt, his fingers tracing the mark on his chest. Eddie gasped into the kiss, and Richie pulled away to find his eyes wide and eyebrows furrowed.

“What-” Eddie breathed, his lips and cheeks pink.

“It’s like a soul orgasm, right?” Richie said enthusiastically, beaming. Eddie groaned and rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t keep the smile off his lips.

“God, I hate that you’re right.”

“You love me,” Richie smirked, his eyes widening as he realized what he’d said. Eddie giggled at him.

“I really do,” Eddie said. “I love you. Is… is that okay? Can I say that?”

“You better,” Richie grinned, echoing Eddie’s sentiment from before. “Because I love you, too. I’ve been in love with you for years.” Eddie beamed up at Richie before flipping them so that he was on top. Richie admired the sight of Eddie on top of him for as long as he could before Eddie kissed him again, their lips moving together like they were meant to. Richie’s heart sang, every part of him humming with joy and love. Yeah, Eddie was right: he knew. He knew there was no one else out there for him but Eddie. It was an assuredness he’d never felt before, and he knew he’d never ever forget what it felt like.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!! i've never written a soulmates au before but i loved writing this omg
> 
> (also shamless plug i'm @bi-beverie on tumblr if you wanna read my stuff there lmao)


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